New Delhi, May 28 -- Ride-hailing platforms are preparing to enter Goa, a market they have long coveted but struggled to gain access due to resistance from local taxi unions. Now, the state's newly released Transport Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, could finally change that.

The draft guidelines, published last week by the Goa government, lay out a formal regulatory framework for app-based taxi and bike taxi operators. It includes licensing conditions, fare regulations, timelines for driver payments, and crucially, mandates that the entire fare be paid directly to drivers, effectively banning platform commissions.

The move marks a decisive shift from informal control to structured regulation in one of India's most tourism-dependent states....